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ASNE joins letter: Impersonation of news media is unacceptable

ASNE joined about 20 other organizations on a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director James Comey that asks for certain procedural and substantive changes to various DOJ and FBI guidelines applicable to these situations.

In the wake of revelations that the FBI created a fake news website to help catch a suspect alleged to have issued a bomb threat in the Seattle area in 2007, ASNE joined about 20 other organizations on a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director James Comey that asks for certain procedural and substantive changes to various DOJ and FBI guidelines applicable to these situations.

Though The Associated Press had already sent a letter to the attorney general, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press drafted a separate letter to address additional issues. ASNE joined this RCFP letter to request the full release of all FBI records that relate to the bureau's use of a fake news story to lure the suspect. We also inquire into allegations regarding the department's and bureau's apparent failure to follow their own guidelines regarding undercover operations and to reiterate that this type of action -- the impersonation of news media -- "endangers the media's credibility and undermines its ability to independently report on law enforcement." Therefore, the letter asks the attorney general and FBI director to clarify that impersonating the news media in any way is unacceptable.